Xojo Plugin Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Extract Text from a Two-Column PDF

See more PDF Text Extraction Examples

Demonstrates how multi-column pages are read. By default the columns are detected and each column is read top to bottom before the next ("columns": "auto"); "columns": "none" reads the full page width line by line, which interleaves the columns. The quality report tells how many columns were found. Xojo Plugin

Dim success As Boolean
success = False

//  This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
//  See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

//  The two-column PDF used in this example is available at two_column_article.pdf

Dim pdf As New Chilkat.Pdf
success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/two_column_article.pdf")
If (success = False) Then
    System.DebugLog(pdf.LastErrorText)
    Return
End If

Dim json As New Chilkat.JsonObject
Dim jsonOut As New Chilkat.JsonObject

//  With the default options the columns are detected, and the text of the left column
//  comes before the text of the right column.
success = pdf.ExtractText("text",json,jsonOut)
If (success = False) Then
    System.DebugLog(pdf.LastErrorText)
    Return
End If

System.DebugLog("Columns detected: " + Str(jsonOut.IntOf("quality.pages[0].columns")))
System.DebugLog("Reading order: " + jsonOut.StringOf("quality.pages[0].readingOrderSource"))
System.DebugLog(jsonOut.StringOf("text"))

//  "none" switches column detection off: the page is read across its full width, line by line,
//  so each output line holds a line of the left column followed by a line of the right column.
//  This is rarely wanted, but it shows what the detection does.
success = json.UpdateString("columns","none")
success = json.UpdateString("layout","lines")
success = pdf.ExtractText("text",json,jsonOut)
If (success = False) Then
    System.DebugLog(pdf.LastErrorText)
    Return
End If

System.DebugLog("---- columns: none ----")
System.DebugLog(jsonOut.StringOf("text"))

//  Sample output (abbreviated):

//  Columns detected: 2
//  Reading order: visual
//  The Harbor Lighthouse, Season Two
//  
//  The harbor lighthouse was built in 1874 to mark the entrance to the inner channel. It operated continuously until 1968, ...
//  
//  The restoration society took ownership in 2021 with three goals: ...
//  ...
//  The lantern room frame was stripped, primed and repainted in the original dark green. ...
//  ...
//  ---- columns: none ----
//  The Harbor Lighthouse, Season Two
//  The harbor lighthouse was built in 1874 to The lantern room frame was stripped, primed
//  mark the entrance to the inner channel. It and repainted in the original dark green. New
//  ...